Toyah, who's had more make-overs than Madonna, has had a glittering career in not only the world of music, but in TV and theatre too.

She's worked on various productions including the works of Shakespeare and hosted Songs Of Praise, Holiday and The Good Sex Guide.

One pop insider said last night: "Toyah's had a great career and certainly looks great for 50!

''She's had a career longer than Madonna's and she's still going strong."

Toyah was brought up in the Birmingham suburb of Kings Heath.

She went to Edgbaston CofE college where she gained her music skills and then trained as an actress at the Old Rep Drama School, where she honed her stage skills.

The star first found fame during the punk rock era when she appeared in Derek Jarman's 1977 film Jubilee and 1979's Who album-inspired movie Quadrophenia.

But she burst on to the pop scene in 1981 with the smash hits It's A Mystery and I Want To Be Free.

Toyah became so huge that she went on to win Best Female at the Brits in 1982, and then later married King Crimson guitarist Robert Fripp, with whom she now shares a home in Pershore, Worcestershire.

Her outrageous dress sense has won her an army of fans.

And Toyah doesn't regret any of the outfits. She said: "I may be in the minority, but I certainly don't cringe with embarrassment when I look back at the 1980s.

"And I feel no shame about my fashion sense. I certainly didn't fit into the blueprint of the Farrah Fawcett lookalike that was so popular in the 1970s.

"The 1980s really freed me. The decade was all about individuality and singers like myself, Kim Wilde, Carol Decker and Siouxsie Sioux, really pushed the boundaries of music and fashion."

Nowadays, Toyah's outfits are a little more tamer than 20 years ago, although she recalls her wild days with great pleasure.

"I'm much more relaxed now, and there's no throwing TVs out of hotel windows!" she said.

"I used to be very rock'n'roll, going for days without eating and sleeping, and just going AWOL.

"Once, I jumped off a Manchester hotel balcony and swung from a chandelier in the foyer. It was very dangerous and stupid. A security man had to get a ladder to get me down. I have a lifetime ban from that hotel!" ..SUPL: